Erdbeerkorbchen Picture

In Greek mythology, Pegasus (Greek: Πήγασος, Pégasos, 'strong' ) was a winged horse sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the GorgonMedusa.

The poet Hesiod connects the name Pegasus with the word for "spring, well", pēgē; however, the name's origins may come from words in the Luwian language: pihassas, meaning "lightning"; or from Pihassasas, the name of an ancient weather god meaning "god of lightning". Everywhere the winged horse struck his hoof to the earth, an inspiring spring burst forth: one on the Muses' Mount Helicon, the Hippocrene ("horse spring"), at the behest of Poseidon to prevent the mountain swelling too much and another at Troezen.

Hesiod relates one story of how Pegasus was peacefully drinking from a well when the heroBellerophon captured him using a golden bridle given to him by Athena. He also says Pegasus carried thunderbolts for Zeus.

Pegasus aided the heroBellerophon in his fight against both the Chimera and the Amazons. There are varying tales as to how Bellerophon found Pegasus; the most common says that the hero was told by Polyeidos to sleep in the temple of Athena, where the goddess visited him in the night and presented him with a golden bridle.